After All These Years
by storyteller362
Summary: 41 years in an amulet and a painting can take a lot out of a person. For princess Isabel and princess Elena its feeling out of place and nightmares. Good thing they can find solace in their friends and family. Next up Elena, Luisa, and Gabe. Now complete!
1. Princess Isabel

**Summary: 41 years in an amulet and a painting can take a lot out of a person. For princess Isabel and princess Elena its feeling out of place and nightmares. Good thing they can find solace in their friends and family. First up Isabel and Naomi with an unexpected friend.**

 **Chapter in a nutshell: Isabel finds herself feeling out of place at school. All it takes is just one talk with a friend to make things better.**

 **Note 1:** games of graces or nine men morris or quoits are real games that were played in the 19th century. Not necessarily in mexico but in various parts of the world.

 **Note 2** : Dedicated to TheGreatStorycollector! I hope she likes this!

* * *

Isabel looked at her notebook as she finished the last math problem. They were covering fractions and it was so simple, she thought as she grinned. Maybe she should be in a fifth-grade class rather than a fourth grade one. Then she turned to help Amara with number fourteen in the book, which had mixed numbers. She had gotten it all done for the day as she didn't have any homework for the weekend.

"Do you want to come over and help me with my invention?" asked Isabel as she was in the middle of working on the problem the correct way. The dark-haired girl looked halfway excited at the suggestion but seemed to have changed her mind about it. Maybe inventing wasn't her thing and they could play some games. "Or we could play with some of my toys, games of graces or nine men morris or quoits."

Hearing this Amara just looked at her confused and even a bit scared. "What kind of toys are those?" she asked uncertain as Isabel stopped grinning.

"You know game of graces, with the ribbon hoop and the sticks? Nine men morris with the pins? Or throwing the circlet around- you know what never mind," she said quickly as Amara looked still a bit confused. Her cheeks burned slightly as she wasn't sure what they would do at the castle now. Her invention and then…

Amara didn't seem to be too bothered after brushing the confusion off. She just rolled her dark eyes at something she thought of. "It doesn't matter I have my chores on the farm and the rest of this homework to work on." She made a face at this as Isabel gave her a light chuckle. She rolled her eyes at the mention of homework as Isabel looked over at the teacher.

"Alright class math is now over and we're done for the day. Make sure you have all fifty questions done and our reading done. Have a safe weekend," said Senorita Marisol as Amara waved at her. Around her the class left as Isabel stayed place in her seat. She looked at her teacher and wondered just how old she was as she slowly packed up the bag.

"Is everything alright Isabel?" asked Senorita Marisol as she looked down at her go pack. She looked at Senorita Marisol's bag and noticed how stylish it looked compared to her bag. Isabel remembered kids at the school compliment her about her bag oh so long ago. Now it just looked bland.

Biting her bottom lip, she looked over at Marisol. "Everything is fine, I was just thinking of a way to show Amara fractions better." Hearing this Senorita Marisol smiled at hearing this. "Before I go I wanted to ask. Have you ever played game of graces?"

Hearing this seemed to light her face up as Senorita Marisol went from smiling to practically lighting up like a navidad tree. "I haven't played that game since I was a little girl. I used to love playing with my sisters." She seemed to get lost in her own thoughts at remembering this.

"Why did you stop?' she asked curious now as she looked out the window. Her carriage was coming to pick her up as she saw the bright red hair from Higgins waiting for her.

At this Senorita Marisol was pulled out of her thoughts as she just shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Better toys and games have come around since then…" Her voice trailed off as she looked at the young princess. "Isabel-"

"My ride is here, I need to go," she said quickly as her teacher hesitated. She gave her teacher a final look as she raced out of the school doors to Higgins on the coach.

Stupid, stupid, she told herself angry at herself that she had to bring that up. Why didn't she just suggest that they play with the rubber shoes again? Or play with one of her inventions? Even helping her with her homework would have been better than talking out like that. She just got excited that she could possibly bring a friend with her to the castle. Isabel looked at the kids playing with balls, rope, and chalk. She never thought to ask any of them what they were playing or how to play. It was her first week here as she was busy getting caught up in her lessons.

She blinked back tears as the carriage came to a stop just outside of the castle. Higgins opened the door for her as she made her way to her room. Looking around Isabel wanted to go find her sister. Normally, she would be in the library right now in her lessons with Esteban. Unlike her, Elena was going to lessons on how to be a queen. Her lessons ranged from economics to how to properly greet a foreign ruler. Sometimes she would have Naomi with her other times she might have Gabe. Both would be with her in some situations and would know what to do properly.

Peering into the library she saw that nobody was there. Probably still in the grand council meeting. Hmm, she thought before slouching and heading off to her room when she felt her face become wet. Isabel reached up to wipe off her cheek as she realized that she was crying. Not even making it to her room did Isabel stop outside of Elena's bedroom door.

It was silly to be crying about toys and games. Although she felt it run deeper than that as it wasn't completely about that. It was the fact that she was behind. Not in school but in life as she hugged her knees closer to her. Forty-one years have passed while she was in that painting. Unlike Elena who could see time passing, she didn't. When she got out it was like Shuriki invading happened earlier that day.

Life since then everyone in her family had to adjust to. Isabel had seen many of her invention ideas become real in the meantime. She had a machine in mind that would make sewing easier since all of their clothes were hand stitched. Then a sewing machine was created by someone else. There were parts that she had to learn how to use for her experiments. There weren't children in the castle to know what had changed in the meantime. Forty-one years was a long time thinking about it.

"Isabel what are you doi- Are you crying?" asked a soft voice as she looked up to see Naomi standing there.

Staying quiet she just wiped her face. "I was looking for Elena," she said feeling lost for a second. "What are you doing?"

"Elena forgot her notebook and I said I'd get it for her." Then the blond sat down in front of her in the middle of the hallway. Then she brushed her hair to the side of her face. "Isabel, do you want to talk about it? I mean I can help."

Isabel stayed quiet as she looked at her sister's friend. She was much better off thinking of her own solutions. However, in this moment there didn't look like a solution within a suitable reach.

"I feel a bit left behind," she said in a small voice.

"Like at school? I know it's your first week there and it'll take getting used to but you're so smart and could get caught up in no time," said Naomi brightly.

"It's not that. I feel out of place like I shouldn't be there sometimes. If I weren't in a painting I would be there dropping my grandchildren off. I might know what we are covering in school but I'm not sure what people my own age like or anything anymore. When I was castle schooled Cristina was my only friend."

Naomi grew quiet as she thought of the young girl next to her. Isabel and Elena even Francisco and Luisa had every right to feel a bit out of place due to the amulet and painting.

"Everything changed while we were gone. A lot of it is a good thing, I mean the harbor is so much bigger. I have a lot more opportunities with my inventions. Now I can't talk without feeling like an idiot sometimes."

She thought back to earlier that day with Amara and her games.

"No, I get it," said Naomi sympathetically. "I mean all four of you are adapting well and I've never really stopped to notice how you might be feeling emotionally." That struck Naomi hard for a moment as this was the first she thought of this. How would Elena be feeling or Luisa or Francisco? Thinking about it the fifteen-year-old leaned in and hugged the younger girl.

"I want to learn what other people know but at the same time I don't want to change. I mean what Elena and I have are the only traditions we have left," said Isabel as she felt her voice break. Gulping back air, Naomi squeezed her a bit harder.

"Have you talked to your family yet?

"Not yet. I don't want to talk to Elena about this though I don't want to worry her. Or have her try to solve my problems for me. She's not always going to be around."

"Why don't you talk to one of your grandparents or even Esteban? I'm sure they're having issues too."

"Yea I think I'll do that later."

From there Naomi went to get the notebook as the grand council meeting went on. Isabel decided to take a detour to the library. Maybe she could read up on what happened without being told. Sometimes a lot of the adults would talk down to her being much younger. Never mind the fact that she was supposed to be in her mid-fifties.

Browsing through the titles she picked out a book that sounded promising. There were several psychology books that she could have looked at. Then a history of inventions that changed the world. She looked at the copywrite date and saw that it was only two or three years old. Perfect at least she'd know as much. Grabbing two other books she sat down to get reading as she had her journal on her. Behind her the door opened as she didn't think much of it. Probably just Esteban reading up on laws and something to prep Elena on.

From the corner of her eye she saw a flash of burgundy cloth. That didn't seem to matter as she took notes on a possible quicker way to make embroidering fabric a lot easier. Then out of nowhere did Esteban sit down in front of her instead of his study.

"Hi Isabel," he said as he got his own book. She glanced at the spine as it had the title of the Law of Royalty. Figured as much as she grinned a little. It had grown quiet between the two of them as Isabel took notes more and more over different inventions. This was fun as she forgot about her problems from earlier in the day.

She looked up to see that Esteban didn't even turn a page in his book.

"You know I forget sometimes that you're supposed to be around my age," he said as Isabel stopped to look at him.

"Naomi told you," she said flatly.

"The girl had some nerve to come up to me and ask to talk to you. She never actually said what but that I might be able to help you with school."

Isabel let out a sigh of relief. Naomi never actually told him the problem just it was a school issue. Well that seemed a little better she thought. Esteban was just Esteban to her sometimes though. He was sweet on her occasionally, but acted more like a second father. She thought of what she wanted to say before spilling it all out on Esteban. In almost the exact same words that she said to Naomi.

"So, you see it's not really a school issue but rather a life thing," she finished. Once upon a time both used to get along. Now didn't seem to be any different. Especially after Esteban had abruptly sat up and came to sit next to her.

"Isabel," he said in a soft voice. Esteban never thought that he would see the day his youngest cousin sounded like she was going to cry. This was all his fault. He was the one that made Isabel feel like her life was out of control. This was all his fault and he could only think about how his grandparents were feeling or Elena. Worse, she was his favorite cousin. "I- There's just too much that happened between then and now."

She looked up at him as Esteban looked at her not wanting to see the poor girl hurt. This was his mistake and he was determined to fix it. Starting with his young cousin.

"Isa," he said using his cousin's pet name for her. "If you want to talk about anything, you can find me. I mean it. I know there is going to be things you don't want to tell Elena. And I want to help, I mean it because we love each other."

Thinking about it, Isabel gave her cousin a hug. Not a long one but enough to touch them both in a different way. Enough to make Isabel smile. She would find him and they would talk. It was like the times that they would get along and be close with each other.

"Thanks Esteban," she said trying to keep her voice neutral. "We should probably get dinner."

She bound off out of the door with Esteban close at her heels. Then she saw Naomi still standing there as Esteban nodded at her to go with her quickly. She was spying on her the entire time. Rather than curious to know why Isabel threw her arms around the teen. "Thanks for helping Naomi."

"Not a problem, do you want to walk me out to my carriage before dinner?"

"Of course."

Both girls walked down to the front of the palace with Naomi promising that she would be back tomorrow. For what started as a crummy day, this ended beautifully.


	2. Princess Elena

**Note: So I've been meaning to write something with Elena suffering from a bit of a PTSD thing. This came out I suppose was the result of that. It was supposed to be the start of a longer story but liked it as it was.** **My first one is Elena's point of view on another story that I did write. So if it sounds familiar that is why. This is rated K plus for the first dream which is a reference to princess Ivy from the Sofia the First special: The Curse of Princess Ivy.**

 _The black and white dress and body stared at the amulet and seemingly right at her. Around the amulet she could feel the silver start to melt into the purple that she lived in. Never ending as if she could swim through it and so rich in color as the colors seamlessly joined into each other. Elena tried to move but found that she couldn't all too well the heat was slowing her down. It was like she was drowning in the colors and fire. That was fire surrounding her in the amulet. Around her everything melted as she saw the face. Princess Ivy. When Elena sent her, she was hoping that Amber would learn her lesson. Not try to destroy her from the inside. There was no way out of this as everything that she had been given in the amulet melted._

 _"Please stop!" she would cry but no one heard. Butterflies and nothing but black and white. This was her punishment for sending Princess Ivy to get back at Princess Amber for stealing the amulet from Sofia. This was all her fault and caused her own downfall._

 _Elena found herself being pinned down as pain started running through her. She let out a choked scream trying to pull away from the princess just holding the chain. She hated magic, she never wanted to see magic used like that again. Elena found herself falling and falling as if it wouldn't stop._ _She kicked and thrashed at in nothing but pure purple and silver melting and twisting around her. Then she smelled it. Burning flesh that was her own. An anguished scream escaped from her lips but nobody heard her cry out. Outside of the amulet she could see Ivy with that evil smirk on her face as the sky just turned black. Sofia looked horrified her precious amulet being melted down..._

Elena felt a gentle but chapped hands touch. They felt warm as hoped that it would be her dad rescuing her. She opened her eyes a crack realizing that someone really was touching her and it wasn't her father. Gasping a little, Elena pulled her arm away from the grip. It wasn't that she didn't like the comfort, it was just coming from the wrong person.

She flashed backed to her dream as she just imagine that she was being burned alive as she started to cry again. No, she had to stop those thoughts. Elena heard him talking to her but didn't really pay much attention. What was really going on with her? She never showed weaknesses like this all too often. Confidence was everything according to her father. Everything was just happening really fast.

"You're going to be safe," said Gabe as Elena stopped crying leaning on his shoulder. She didn't want to admit it out loud, but she liked hearing that word. Like someone was watching out for her and not just because he was getting paid. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" He brushed some hair away from her face as she smiled at him, she had to admit that felt nice from him. She brushed those feelings off as she just wanted to get it off of her chest.

"I'm in the amulet," she said bluntly the words just coming out. Elena couldn't bring herself to stop talking. "It's nothing but purple around me and it's starts to drive you insane. Nothing happened to me when I was in it. I couldn't do anything anymore. I mourned my parents but it kept coming back as I could watch it." At this she let out another sob on his shoulder. Elena couldn't help but wonder if he was freaking out a little at a crying girl. "There was another princess, an evil princess, that start to destroy the amulet while I was in it. I was going to die not knowing what was going to happen to me. There was no future, I wanted to go on adventures, be a queen to my people, get married, have children one day. I felt as if it wasn't going to happen."

There, she said, she thought miserably, best have it said and done. She showed a weak link as Gabe was silent through the entire thing. It was all out there in the open that Elena had nightmares about the amulet and Princess Ivy. She never thought that would happen, despite at how happy she was to get out of it. It scared her as she could only imagine and see what was happening. Gabe said something that she didn't pay any attention to.

"Thanks for coming in and helping," she said as she gave him a tiny smile, not too big. Gabe saw that as a cue as she looked down trying to get her sheets in order. Now, which end was up? He got to the door as Elena turned to him as she fixed her sheets. "Gabe can you not tell anyone? I don't need them worrying about me." Them being her abuelos and sister, but Elena was sure he knew who she was talking about. She didn't need her abuela and abuelo knowing and have them become concerned. If Isabel knew that would just scare her. Elena didn't want to become coddled and Isabel having her own nightmares. No, this was best to be left as it is.

"Of course," he said heading out her door.

She was only thankful that he seemed genuine. Elena liked that she could trust him enough. "Oh and Gabe," she said putting her comforter back on the bed, she wondered if this was okay to say, but she needed to talk about this with someone. "If it happens again, you can come in again. You give good hugs." He nodded before leaving as she got into the bed. She thought she saw the briefest sign of excitement on his face before dismissing that. Elena buried her face in her pillow thinking about eating sweets with Isabel on the beach.

The next day Elena got up with a vague memory of last night. The last thing she thought of was telling Gabe to come in her room. Nothing but beautiful dreams at that point. She heard Isabel knocking on her door to get ready for breakfast. Elena never slept until breakfast, but she only shrugged it off. At least she got a good night's sleep.

The next time she had a nightmare it had been months since the first. Gabe had kept his word and nobody knew about her having her last one. She and Gabe didn't really talk about it much either. Instead, they had casual conversations such as Esteban's 59th birthday celebration. Or she'd ask him about his family something to keep her mind off of the nightmare memory. Maybe just talking about the nightmare helped out, like therapy. No coddling from her grandparents in any way. Esteban said nothing and Isabel wasn't concerned about much.

In fact, they had just celebrated Mateo becoming the new royal wizard recently. She had decided to throw a party with some local rulers and some important people from around the city. Maybe a few royals from nearby kingdoms. Dona was eager to talk to her about trade agreements. Elena knew that Mateo could do it and the party was fine. Until Fiero. Everything turned out to be okay as it could be.

 _"Mateo, Gabe, sit down and listen," said Elena as she eagerly looked at her blond friend. They were hanging out grand council room just before the meeting. "Naomi, what did your dad say?" She pressed wanting to know what happened with her at the party she was telling them all about._

 _"Then my dad says," said Naomi about to finish her story when it started to go gray around her. It was sudden and came out of nowhere. A chill ran through her as she saw her friend stand still. The tip of Naomi's hair started to turn gray as stone started to settle in._

 _"Naomi!" she called running at her friend, thinking that she could make this stop. She knocked down the statue of Naomi watching it break as she watched on horrified that she had done that. Elena turned and looked at Mateo who had propped himself up by his hand and slouched over the table was stone. Just behind her Gabe was stone standing there looking proper. She tapped on both of their heads before gasping running out of the room. The castle walls were starting to go gray around her. Where was Isabel? Her abuelos? Esteban?_

 _Racing around the castle, she stopped short at seeing Esteban leaving his study. Abuelo reading over something in his study. Knees shaking and tears pouring of her eyes, she ran to find her abuela. Luisa was in the kitchen trying some new tasty treat. Isabel was in the ballroom with her friend just playing a game of hide and seek. They were standing there stone as a statue._

 _Everyone was stone, her family and her friends as Elena felt a chill run through her. Nothing was going on out of the ordinary. Isabel had brought a friend over to play. Elena talking animatedly with Naomi about her last birthday. Then she didn't know when or where it came from. The bows of her mind probably. Then everything was turning to stone as she felt the blood pound in her head. Out of nowhere did she see Fiero step up to her ready to shout his final curse at her. She stood bravely up to him, ready to let him hit her. She would be with her parents. Everyone in Avalor would be stone and she would be a goner…_

Elena woke up in a warm and familiar hug against a masculine body. Who? Then she remembered that she gave Gabe permission to enter her room. She was panting and shaking as that nightmare was very close to real yesterday night. Gabe was stone as he had jumped in front of her. Naomi was stone as she tried to attack Fiero. Her family until it was her and Mateo left. Elena was that close ready to be a stone herself. Tears pooled at her eyes remembering that it would have been like being in the amulet once again.

Gabe stroked her hair as she just cried into his shoulder. Oh gosh she was nearly going to die back there as she closed her eyes. His warm body soaking up all of her tears. She wanted him to say something to her but instead, he was quiet just letting her cry. Elena was thankful that he didn't push anything. What the nightmare was about or anything. Her eyes red as she wasn't thrilled to be showing her vulnerable and sensitive side of her to him.

"Gabe," she tried to choke out but couldn't finish her sentence. Isabel and her friend sitting there together, as the imagine ran through her mind. What if her parents were in the dream too? She couldn't save them the first time and now the second. Then the tears started to fall a little harder at that thought. Why did she do that to herself?

Elena pressed against him tighter as she tried to make herself stop. "Just let it all out," he said helpfully as she tried to calm herself down. "You're here and safe." Elena bite back the fact she was only physically safe and not mentally. It helped to be hugged and feeling lo- No, she wasn't going to admit that. She pushed that thought at the idea. Her nightmares were just freaking her out. She wiped her eyes pulling away from him.

"Fiero and the stones," she said mid sob, trying to talk about it. That helped the last time as she watched his face change. He looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. "Everyone even me was getting hit."

Gabe adjusted next to her as she looked at him curious. Nodding to let him speak, Gabe seemed to let out all of his thoughts. "I had the same nightmare too," he said as she looked at him. Their backs against her bed frame on the floor again. She had to stop ending up on the floor sooner or later. "He keeps me around for last. Everyone came first, going after my family and friends. Just to watch me suffer. I feel useless since I didn't even really do anything. That was all Mateo and I couldn't even help being the first of us to turn to stone. I couldn't even save your sister."

Elena saw his face turn to a look of grief. He blamed himself for letting this happen to being with. "Gabe no one knew that was going to happen. You can't blame yourself, Fiero was powerful but we beat him. If it helps, I unfroze you first." She took a sigh as he looked a little less glum as she said that. "How does your nightmare end?"

"It helps to picture him dressed up as a court jester," said Gabe after a minute smiling himself. At this she cracked a smile at what that imagine might be like. "Then I take control of the dream. Somehow I get everyone to wake up and, I don't know, we all go off for ice cream. I usually wake up before I can taste anything." She giggled at that then Elena raised her eyebrows at the ending. His dream, she supposed, as she thought of a way she could make it end. "At least you're not alone." Gabe squeezed her shoulder as Elena sighed leaning back.

"You know," she said after a minute. "Talking about it with someone helps. So thanks for talking," she said gripping the side of her bed. He got up and held his hand for her. Elena smiled and let him help her up. He reacted positively genuine to her smiles as she scolded herself to stop liking it. Tonight he helped her put her torn apart bed back together before leaving with a salute. As she lay in bed, she thought of Fiero in a court jester outfit. Just the idea made her smile.

It took even longer for Elena's nightmares to catch up to her with her new method. It had been crawled into the new year already as she didn't really have any events that called for said nightmares. The hotter weather came in as she lay exhausted from a long day of activities. By now Elena was counting down to the days of her seventeenth birthday. Then after that she had one more year until she was able to become queen with no problems. Heck, Elena was actively planning what kind of dress she was wear for said coronation and her everyday queen outfit. Something a little more regal than her pink dress she wore now. That was still so far ahead she had time.

Isabel's birthday had passed. They had a party for the defeat of Shuriki and more adventures that didn't result in much. She had the flu and Gabe had caught a cold. Naomi passed her health class. Mateo did more magic. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, well, at least for the small stuff.

 _"What do you mean you're leaving?" asked Elena as she saw Mateo come forward to her. He looked rather nice and he could tell that he had some kind cologne on from the sweet smell. Her eyes were wide, jaw slacked, and her head turned to its side._

 _"Better offer, better castle, and better people," he said spitefully as he picked up and left her. Elena sitting on her father's throne bewildered and confused. She sat alone in such the big room with no one to talk to. For the briefest of moments, she wanted to talk to Gabe before shaking her head. Why would Mateo leave their palace for the ruling family of Napurna? She walked to the next room before realizing that nobody was around. The entire castle was completely void of people until a tap on her shoulder, making her jump a little._

 _"Oh Naomi you scared me," she said turning around a hand on her chest. Naomi stood stonily as Elena feared that Fiero had got to her. "Naomi?"_

 _"I have to go Elena. My father misses me and thinks I'm here too often. I miss my friends and the sea, I'm sorry Elena, but I quit." With that Naomi Turner disappeared into a puff of smoke, quite literally. The echo of Esteban saying good riddance danced through the castle as it bounced off of the walls._

 _Gabe's slim and muscular figure was soon next to hers as she found herself back in her bedroom. The palace still eerily empty as she wondered where her family was. At the foot of her bed her back rested against the bed, as he sat next to her. "I'm sorry Elena, this isn't going to work out, I'm sorry for the confusion." What? She didn't understand what was going on. Where was everyone? What happened? Did she do something or say something? "King Roland offered me a job to protect Princess Sofia." What? He didn't even know her as the person she wanted to talk to disappeared in front of her. She walked out to her balcony to find the city gone. She was abandoned as if she was a kitten as she felt the tears run down her face. Was she a good leader?_

"Elena wake up," said a man's voice as she saw Gabe holding his hand out. She was on the floor again, this time only a pillow protected her fall. Elena took his offered hand before throwing her arms around him. He stood still surprised that she had done that. She never willing jumped into his arms despite the nightmares. That nightmare had come out of nowhere and Elena didn't know why she would be thinking that everyone would leave her. Was her coronation next year really starting to get to her? She'd always need her friends.

"Don't leave," she mumbled into his shoulder. She didn't want to see any of her friends leave her like that. "Please don't leave me." Elena knew it wouldn't happen but she would have liked the reassurance. She felt Gabe pat her back slowly confused a bit. He had lowered her down to sit on her bed as he sat next to her. At least none of her sheets came with her from the fall.

"Elena, I'm never going to leave you," he said slowly, separating from her, his hands on her shoulders. Elena hated to admit it but he liked the way that he looked at her. He was always so warm and seemed so genuine. His smile made her want to smile back.

Shaking her head of those thoughts, she looked up at him. His face soft as he tried to comfort her. "After your married and have kids and assuming you die before me, I'm not going to leave you." She gulped back her tears as she rid the thought of Mateo and Gabe leaving for a new castle and a new family. Naomi outright admitting she needed to get away from her. Then the fact that Avalor would just pick up and decided that they didn't want her. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"I'm not okay with this sometimes," admitted Elena out loud. "Being here sometimes I feel as if I should have died with my parents." She felt the tears drip down her face as Gabe wiped them away. "I feel as if I'm never fully here and part of me is always from forty one years ago. There's still stuff I don't know about the world now, what certain things are, and I might just drive people away from me if I tell them things like this. If I get trapped again although this time I might not come back."

He hugged her as Elena thought of a way to get rid of that dream. Nothing in her mind really worked as she felt herself go slack. At least she was able to make the other two go away permanently.

"Stay," she said softly as he looked at her. "Please stay with me, at least until I'm sleep again, tell a story or something." Elena sat here just wrapped up in his arms safe and warm, as she fell asleep. He nodded as understood where she was coming from. Gabe didn't press her as he started to sing some kind of lullaby. It sounded kind of foreign. Maybe from Galdiz?

Elena' felt her eyes start to go heavy and Gabe adjusted her to lay back, not stopping his song. Then the covers over her before leaving the room wordlessly. No nightmares again this time. Elena dreams of a day at the beach with her friends and family.

The next day, she woke up aware that the nightmare didn't coming back. Thankful, she lay back in bed realizing that it was a little past nine. Yesterday at the grand council meeting, they had made plans to survey the area to put a new city playground. That meant inspecting various areas that would fit around well. Grabbing her dress and shoes she threw them not, not even worrying about how she looked. Opening the door, she saw Gabe just about to knock at her door.

"Gabe," she said before running past him. "I'm late for breakfast! Then the surveying, why didn't you wake me up?"

"Princess," he called racing after her ignoring the scold, "they've already ate. Your grandmother found you feeling hot last night after I left. She said that you weren't feeling well and let you sleep longer. I agreed and didn't wake you. They're holding off on going until later."

Elena tried to give him a sharp look for not waking her up anyway he knew what the real problem was, but saw that look of concern. He cared, she thought, and he's trying to help. She was grateful that he didn't tell them the truth about the nightmares. As sweet as that sounded, she needed to be there. "No," she said trying to keep herself calm. "Thanks for trying to help but-"

"But your abuela said she'd have breakfast sent by 9:30," he said turning her back around. Where was her family then? Esteban would be complaining about not going right away.

Elena shook her head at the instruction from her grandmother. Luisa had insisted on letting her sleep in and everything. She just tried to look out of her, but she was crown princess. Who was going to go when she didn't feel good? Elena wasn't married yet to send a husband and the grand council will be dissolved when she becomes queen. Taking a sigh, Gabe just lead her back to her room where a maid stood holding a tray of hot food.

"Gracias senorita Castro," he said opening the door for the both of them. Elena had reluctantly laid back in bed to eat a proper breakfast after kicking her shoes off. Then the maid rested a tray in front of her. Gabe turned to leave as she started to eat some of her food.

"Gabe," she said before he could leave the room. She ate a piece of toast as he turned to her. "Thanks for agreeing with my abuela that I was sick rather than about the nightmares."

He flushed before clearing his throat. "Well I wasn't going to break my promise. I still think you should tell them though this is a lot to carry and they might be feeling the same way. At least your grandmother, she gets really concerned about you. At least from what she's been telling me," said Gabe before regretting that.

"My abuela has been talking to you?" asked Elena turning to look at him from the orange juice. Her abuela was talking about her with Gabe? "What exactly do you talk about?"

Gabe opened his mouth before deciding on what to even say to that. Elena gave him a look and he thought about sparing her feelings, about what they said. It wasn't bad things but Elena would insist otherwise. "Just about things. She has me try her test food before serving to people. Your abuela said that I make a good test subject, as does Princess Isabel." Elena smiled at the fact that he was willing to help them both but that was not what she was asking.

"What do you both say about me?" she pressed as Gabe started to be a little uncomfortable. She gestured for him to come sit at the end of her bed. A little curse escaped from his lips as he took a seat. Elena glared at him realizing that doing that wouldn't get to him to talk. "Please Gabe, tell me what you say about me."

Gabe looked at her as he thought for a moment. He wasn't about to tell Elena that her grandmother figured out about his crush on her and they've talked about it. "Well just some random things here and there. You overwork yourself sometimes, how you'll be as queen…" He cleared his throat as Elena finished the breakfast still uneasy about this.

"Okay another question, do you talk to my abuelo or Esteban or Isabel about me?" Now he looked trapped like he was about to be caught for stealing from the cookie jar. Gabe coughed as Elena looked at him incredulously. So they did talk about her as Gabe kept a straight face.

"No," he said directly meeting her eyes.

Before she could say anything else to him, Euan Higgins stood in the doorway. She could spot his bright red hair from a mile away. "Lieutenant, councilwoman Luisa wants you," he said as Elena pushed aside her half eaten tray that was enough after that bombshell.

"I'm coming too," she said getting out the bed. Higgins only shrugged before going off to find Esteban. Elena followed Gabe down to the kitchen where she would normally be found. When they got down there, Elena took a breath deciding what to do. "I'm going to stand here for a minute. Just go in and pretend I'm not here." Okay now that was being sneaky but Gabe just listened to the order. She just didn't want to have her grandmother worry. Now by not saying anything she made things worse.

Elena listened in for a moment to their conversation. Something about the food tasting amazing and a Gabe telling Luisa about some family recipe. Then it stretched to talk about some women named Eldora, Juanita, and Alisa coming for the new baker position. They had to get a replacement for the baker, since the old one had simply retired.

"I'm worried about Elena," said Luisa to the young guard. "Did she say anything to you about anything? She's just been off a little and I think something is wrong. I just can't place my finger on why."

Elena felt her stomach twist that her abuela knew something was wrong. Taking a breath, Elena walked inside the kitchen. Both her and Gabe were sitting next to each other with two or three cookbooks spread out open to different pages. It was going to smell good in here for a while. Both of them looked up at her as Luisa raced over to her granddaughter.

"Oh mija are you okay?" asked Luisa putting her hand on her forehead. Not so warm anymore as she was last night.

Elena sighed as she looked at Gabe. "I'm fine, but I need to talk to Gabe for a minute," she said as Luisa tried to hide a smile through pursed lips. Gabe looked surprised as he looked at her before reluctantly leaving. Luisa tried not to listen in wondering what they were talking about.

Once out in the hall Gabe let out a breath. "Princess are you okay?" he asked giving her a look over as Elena rolled her eyes. Although, she did think she looked nice today despite no makeup and shoes.

"I'm fine, it's just that it's my fault abuela is worried about me all of a sudden. So I'm thinking I should just tell her about the nightmares. I'm thinking that it might help. If you want, you can stick around or…" she let her voice trail off as he just nodded.

Gabe did a silent victory dance in his head. She didn't exactly listen to him about telling someone about her nightmares, in fact she blatantly ignored him. However, hearing her grandmother's concern she decided to tell. Good enough for him. "I think I'll stick around for moral support and some of the food," he said half joking and half serious. Elena laughed a little before going back into the kitchen to talk to her abuela.

"Mija is everything...?" asked Luisa letting her voice trail off as she saw both of them come back. It couldn't have been too serious since they were gone for a little less than five minutes.

"Well, not exactly. I should have come to someone sooner but I didn't want to cause you to worry. Which is what made you concerned anyway," stumbled Elena a bit. She hated to admit that she was the cause of something. "I've been having some nightmares about the amulet and some other fears lately. And I figured that I should tell someone."

Luisa looked at her granddaughter unsurprised at this but a little upset. She wasn't going to push for details but understood at the dilemma. Elena wasn't going to cause her to worry but somehow did anyway. "Oh mija I knew about some of them; your first couple weren't exactly quiet. I'm just a little upset that you didn't tell me."

Elena didn't think she was that loud but kept her mouth shut. At least she knew Gabe didn't tell her, she only had to smile that he kept the secret. "I didn't want to worry you though. I know it's been hard for us adjusting and everything-"

"Mija there is nothing that you can do that won't have me worry a little. I'm just glad that you finally told someone and I wanted you to come to me," said Luisa noticing Gabe eating some of her hottest peppers. She hoped he didn't burn his tongue so that he couldn't taste. She pushed a strand of Elena's hair and brushed it behind her ear. "I'm glad you told me." They stayed like that, before Luisa heard a sniffle from the guard and both women turned to look at him. "Aww Gabe are you crying?"

"No, I just ate something really spicy," he said coughing looking for a water pitcher.

"Oh sorry Gabe," giggled Elena as she handed him the water pitcher.

"Well that tastes good otherwise," he said as they tried another sample. It was food after food for Elena that day, she though with a content mind. With a smile still on her face she gave her abuela a hug and then turned to Gabe to give him one. When her abuela wasn't looking, she had given him a light kiss on the cheek that made him grow red. It started to feel like a content day.


End file.
